Bulgarian Vote Winner GERB Tightlipped 48 H after Elections

Bulgaria's GERB leader and former Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, known for not shying away from media, is yet to make a public appearance, two days after the general elections. File photo

For a second consecutive day, the winner of the May 12 early general elections, the formerly-ruling centrist Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria party, GERB, is keeping silent on the results and future plans.

On election night, GERB broke the long-standing tradition, after the fall of the Communist regime, of political parties giving press conferences, appearing in the order of their standing.

Despite coming out first, and 1 200 Bulgarian and foreign journalists waiting, GERB did not hold a press conference at all, saying they will do so after the Central Electoral Commission, CEC, reports the official results.

GERB leader and former Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, known for not shying away from media, is also yet to make a public appearance.

The party has not stated exact plans for its future and the future of the country as well.

While the runner-up, the left-wing Bulgarian Socialist Party, BSP, held their briefing on election night, GERB issued a press release thanking their supporters and reminding they were the first ever political party to win general elections twice after 1989.

Meanwhile, CEC started Tuesday a second ballot count and after it concludes, the official election results will be announced.

As the Bulgarian Constitution requires, President, Rosen Plevneliev, must first offer the mandate to the largest party in Parliament, the center-right GERB.

If GERB fails to appoint a government within a 7-day deadline, then the mandate goes to the second largest one – BSP. If the Socialists fail or refuse to form a Cabinet – the mandate will be given to the ethnic Turkish Movement for Rights and Freedoms, DPS, which came up third, and then – to the fourth and last formation to win seats in Bulgaria's 42nd General Assembly – the far-right nationalist Ataka.

If none of the four succeeds to form a government, the President has to appoint a caretaker government, and, with one single decree, adjourn the Parliament and schedule a new general election within 2 months of dissolving the Parliament.

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